It is that time of year again here in Australia, when slippers are called for. Just when I think I can’t bear to ever knit another one, I whip a few out. I had a virus that made me so stupid I had a couple of days off work doing mindless knitting and watching appalling daytime TV. That helped. And, completely charming stories of people’s slipper love come my way and make me weaken.

The red pair are for a friend who is struggling with cuts to public sector services in her workplace. It breaks my heart to see people who want to contribute to making things better for people whose lives are very hard indeed… and who have committed their skills and passion to this task… being treated so badly. By sheer happy coincidence, I got these to her in the week of her birthday. I am so glad she got born and I got to know her!

Her last pair of slippers had been worn to holes and shreds, and hopefully the sheep hide soles will help this pair go the distance. yes, this is the left over local sheep hide in the previous post. The green pair have gone to a wonderful organic gardener who runs a farm, and a pale blue pair that didn’t make it into the sunshine to have their photo taken have gone to her beloved co-farmer. The two of them do an amazing job. I handed these two pairs over at the farmer’s market where they have a stall, and right back at me came mandarins, pak tsoi, silverbeet (chard) and such. They are so generous!

A very discouraged friend gave me a sleeveless vest a while back. She had already knit it twice and I perhaps also partially felted it in an effort to get fit and finally given up in frustration. The wool is handspun and hand dyed. In all likelihood, by one of my Guild friends. I wanted to honour all the work that went into this wool, now a little past its prime. I tell you what, when you unravel a garment you learn a lot about the design and about the knitting skills of the maker. My friend has a very thorough and diligent way of darning in ends! I feel so sad that her vest didn’t work out after so much effort. I don’t think I have developed the patience to knit the same garment twice. Evidently, knitting the same slipper pattern dozens of times is different…

Eventually I got the vest apart and decided I really did have to wash the wool to unwrinkle it a bit. These photos are the ‘after’ photos. And now, all that wool is a pair of slippers for a young father, teacher and farmer, whose sheep hide is going to be sewn onto the soles. I have one more pair on my mental queue and needles and then I can make a pair for the mother, community development worker and farmer side of their partnership… so the season of slipper knitting isn’t over yet. I made slippers for both parties for their wedding, and I had in mind to make them fresh pairs when their second child came along recently. But my intentions didn’t get turned into actions very quickly… best keep knitting!

I am just the other way round. It’s partly because I am time poor and need simple projects I can carry around… I have a shawl that I started knitting and the put down. Months ago. It isn’t even complicated!!! I do think life would be dull if we were all the same. More power to your complex knitting skills and aptitudes….

Hi Nat, welcome to knitting! These are Bev Galeskas’ Felted Clogs. I began knitting them when I was a beginner, and at that time I learned several new things from the pattern (three needles bind off, wrap and turn)… and I think row 2 took me 20 minutes the first time. Since then I have knit dozens of them! The link is to Ravelry, where it looks like you can buy a downloaded pattern. If you haven’t been there yet, you might like it. By all means friend me there if you join up. I’m Mazz. Wishing you all the best, Mary

Thanks Mary, I’m a member of Ravelry, but haven’t visited for a long time. I will go and search for Bev Galeskas’s slipper pattern. Thanks for sharing the tip on knitting as well. BTW, I have been reading your posts and thanks so much for sharing about Eucalyptus and dyeing. Best wishes Nat